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The Greater Houston Horse Council is a non-profit organization
formed to promote the interests of the entire horse industry,
especially in the Greater Houston area.
Through education, group action, public information and the
development of a close working relationship between equine
organizations and individuals, GHHC aims to heighten public
awareness of the importance of the horse industry to the economic,
social and cultural well-being of the Greater Houston area.
HOW TO JOIN THE GREATER HOUSTON HORSE COUNCIL
Fill out the application form (Join Online!, to the left) and
print it out. Mail it with your check to the Greater Houston
Horse Council at PO Box 924551, Houston, TX 77018.
Unfortunately we are not set up to allow for on-line payments
at this time.
Piroplasmosis in Texas
By Pauline Singleton
December, 2009
We have a new problem. This time, its name is equine piroplasmosis
(EP for short). EP is a blood-borne disease generally spread
by certain kinds of ticks. More than 300 head of horses have
contracted EP in Texas. So far, all live on a ranch in Kleberg
County OR once lived on that ranch. Is your horse at risk for
contracting this disease? Not at this time—especially if you
live in an urban or suburban setting where there are no ticks.
And even if you live in a rural setting, your horse is probably
not in any immediate danger. There is no need to panic, but
it is time to become informed about EP.
Just because your horse or my horse is not in immediate danger
of becoming ill, doesn’t mean we don’t have a problem. Just
ask Darolyn Butler. She is a world-class competitor in endurance
races. This month (December, 2009) she hauled ten head of horses
to Florida for a race, and all had to be tested for EP before
they could enter the state of Florida. The test cost $35 per
horse, so the bill was $350 (and trust me, some veterinarians
charge more). Florida will honor the test for 30 days. In other
words, if Darolyn brings those horses back to Texas, and takes
them back to Florida two months later, she will incur that expense
again. A number of states, and Canada, will not allow Texas
horses in without a CURRENT test for EP. How “current” is defined
varies from state to state and situation to situation. The state
of Oklahoma requires the test within 10 days of entry.
Darolyn hopes to compete in the 2010 World Equestrian Games,
which will be held in Lexington, Kentucky. If she does, her
horses will have to be tested for EP before they leave Texas,
and AGAIN when they arrive in Lexington. (Yes, any venue may
have their own testing requirements, which may be stricter than
what states require.)
It should now be clear to you that anyone who hauls a horse
out of Texas for showing, racing, breeding or any other reason,
is going to incur some new expenses.
Why all the fuss? Consider Florida’s experience. In 1960, there
was an outbreak of EP in south Florida. The origin is thought
to be imported horses. Twenty-six per cent of infected horses
died of the disease, according to the USDA. It took Florida
more than a quarter of a century, and millions of dollars, to
eradicate EP. Who can blame them if they don’t want a repeat
of that experience? At the least, EP is a drain on the horse
industry wherever it occurs, both through morbidity and mortality
of infected horses, and resources spent trying to treat/control/contain/eradicate
the disease.
There is good news. Several veterinarians have told me they
believe that the south Texas outbreak will be contained to the
ranch where it was found. As of December 8, no infected horses
have been found on adjoining ranches (and yes, such horses are
being tested). If you’ve received your January 2010 issue of
The Horse, you perhaps have seen a map showing EP-infected
horses in 12 other states, from California to Florida, and as
far north as Michigan. All of the infected horses in these other
states were purchased from the Kleberg County ranch. So far,
no other horses have contracted the
disease from these horses. More worrisome is the fact that
there are EP-infected horses on other Texas premises (horses
purchased from the Kleberg County ranch).
There is some more not-so-good news, too. I obtained the APHIS
factsheet on EP and found something interesting. That factsheet
states: “EP is not endemic to the United States; native tick
species do not currently carry the parasites that cause the
disease.” The first question that popped into my head was
“COULD our native tick species serve to spread EP if conditions
are right?” A few paragraphs later, the factsheet states:
“The only known vector of EP in the United States is the tropical
horse tick, Dermacentor nitens, found in the southern
United States. Babesia caballi and B. equi
(the causative agents of EP) have been experimentally transmitted
by three other U. S. tick species: D. albipictus, the
winter tick; D. variabilis, the American dog tick;
and Boophilus microplus, the southern or tropical cattle
tick.”
So that’s four species of ticks known to be capable of spreading
EP.
As one would expect, field workers have been collecting ticks
from infected horses on the ranch in question. These ticks
are being sent to a USDA research facility in Pullman, Washington
for study. So far, there has been one surprise. Of the ticks
collected and studied so far, the one tick that has been confirmed
as able to transmit EP is not on that list of 4 ticks mentioned
in the last paragraph. The culprit is the Cayenne tick, Amblyomma
cajennense.
So our list of potential vectors turned out not to be a complete
list. Is it complete now? Time will tell. Studies are ongoing,
and the results should be interesting.
Do we know the range of the ticks capable of spreading EP?
Are they limited to south Texas? Do any of us know enough
about ticks?
Another troubling detail about the current outbreak is that
its source is unknown at this time.
State and Federal agencies continue to investigate the outbreak,
trace horses, study ticks, and no doubt are making plans for
how to best respond to the situation in the months to come.
We’ll try to keep you posted.
Click on "Piroplasmosis on the left side of this page
for more information. We shall try to add to it as we acquire
more information. Last updated January 2, 2010.
Large Animal Rescue Class a Big Success
By Carter Miller
Members of the Greater Houston Horse Council, along with law
enforcement officers, firefighters, veterinarians and other
first responders enjoyed the privilege of attending a TLAER
class (Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue) on October 16
and 17, 2009.
The class was hosted by Brazos Valley Equine, AVMA, TEEX, and
taught by Dr. Rebecca Geminez, Major USAR. Participants learned
about equine behavior, how to handle emergencies involving equine
animals. Those might include emergencies in mud, water and ice.
Participants learned about types of equipment available for
rescue and standard fire truck equipment used to help rescue
large animals.
Teams were formed and everyone enjoyed a hands-on-training that
included moving a sedated horse from a trailer, cutting a halter
from a distance, along with sling methods and moving the animal.
A mud removal was performed with a dummy horse, and the group
also overturned a stock trailer using a winch and hand break.
The Greater Houston Horse Council sponsored one attendee and
encouraged other members and horse owners to attend the event.
There will be another class in 2010. If you would like to attend,
contact Jonna Johnson at Horsebuddy3@yahoo.com. The date and
location of the 2010 class will be determined by the end of
2009.
Director Julie Caramante has added a page on Facebook
for the Greater
Houston Horse Council.
(Aug 09)
From the Texas Animal Health Commission
July 16, 2009
Box l2966 * Austin, Texas 78711 * (800) 550-8242 * FAX (512)
719-0719
Bob Hillman, DVM * Executive Director
For info, contact Carla Everett, information officer, at 1-800-550-8242,
ext. 710, or ceverett@tahc.state.tx.us
Two Horses in East Texas Die from Eastern Equine Encephalitis
(EEE); Vaccinate Your Horses and Protect Against Mosquito Exposure!
Two horses, one in Jasper County and the other in Newton County,
in East Texas have died from Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE).
Humans also are susceptible to EEE, which causes inflammation
of the brain. The disease is spread by mosquitoes, and measures
should be taken to prevent human and animal exposure to the
biting pests.
“As part of their routine health care, horses in all parts of
the state should be vaccinated to protect against dangerous
mosquito-borne diseases, including West Nile Virus, and Eastern
and Western Equine Encephalitis (EEE and WEE),” said Dr. Bob
Hillman, Texas’ state veterinarian and head of the Texas Animal
Health Commission (TAHC), the state’s livestock and poultry
health regulatory agency.
“It takes a week to 10 days after vaccination for the animal
to develop protective antibodies, and booster shots must be
administered as directed by the vaccine manufacturer to maintain
the highest level of protection,” he said. “As effective as
vaccines are, however, they are not foolproof, and rare instances
of disease can occur. Therefore, it is essential that you protect
yourself and your horses against mosquito exposure with a repellent
containing DEET.”
Dr. Hillman also said other preventive measures should include
draining stagnant water, where mosquitoes can breed, and using
approved products that kill mosquito larvae in desired water
sources, such as troughs, ponds and fountains. Avoid being outside
at night or at dawn, when mosquitoes are most active, wear long
sleeves when possible, and consider sheltering horses at night.
“Contact your veterinarian immediately, if your horse acts erratically,
is confused, staggers or collapses. These are clinical signs
of an encephaliticor brain inflammation-- condition, and a
blood test is needed to confirm the diagnosis. With appropriate
supportive care, about half of infected horses may survive.
An infected horse will not spread the West Nile Virus, EEE or
WEE to humans,” said Dr. Hillman. Although they are not regulatory
diseases, these mosquito-spread infections are reportable to
the TAHC, due to their potential to cause human illness. In
2009, a horse in Washington County, also in East Texas, has
been confirmed to have West Nile Virus.
EEE also has been reported in July in horses in Florida, Louisiana,
Missouri and Virginia.
Local Horse Stolen!
A horse was recently stolen in the Sugarland area, Harris County,
TX.
To view a flyer, with excellent photos, use the following link:
http://netposse.com/stolenmissing/pineyTXApril09.html .
If you would like to help locate this stolen horse, print out
a flyer and post at you local feed store, veterinarian's office,
boarding stable, etc. If enough people did this, there would
be no place to hide a stolen horse.
Pony Stolen from Bingle Road in Houston
If you see this animal, call the Houston Police Department at
713-222-3131.
From the American Horse Council
July 23, 2009
AHC Seeks to Document Equestrian Access Issues on
Public Land
The American Horse Council has launched a new effort to collect
information on access issues equestrians are experiencing on
federal lands. The centerpiece of this effort is an online form
equestrians can use to report their personal experiences regarding
trails and federal lands that have been closed to them or other
access issues.
Americans who use horses and pack stock enjoy a unique experience
when they ride on trails and public lands. It is an experience
that ties them to the “pioneer” era and provides not only a
way to connect with America’s vast and unique natural resources
but a link with America’s history and traditions. It is an experience
that cannot be enjoyed without a trail system, trailhead access
and areas for camping. It is an experience that Americans enjoyed
even before there was a national park system and an experience
they want to continue.
Unfortunately, equestrians are seeing an increasing loss of
access through trail restrictions, trail closures, and use restrictions.
Riders and stock users are being excluded from areas that they
have historically traveled through and indeed first opened up.
It is a loss of opportunities for riders, families, persons
with disabilities, school groups and others. There seems to
be a management environment less open to these traditional forms
of use. Sometimes restrictions on equestrian use are done intentionally
through management plans that reduce, restrict or eliminate
horses, horse facilities, camping or grazing restrictions, cross-country
travel restrictions or closures. Sometimes the restrictions
are indirect though a lack of trail maintenance, or over regulation,
or lack of services to the public like facilities that provide
saddle and pack animals or parking for horse trailers.
In order to better combat this disturbing trend the AHC is asking
equestrians to document examples of trails or entire areas that
have been closed to equestrians on federal land (National Forest
Service, National Parks Service, and Bureau of Land Management,
etc). The AHC is seeking all relevant information concerning
these closures such as the reason for the loss of access, details
concerning any public process that was involved and the history
of equestrian use on the closed trail or area.
The AHC is also interested in examples of attempts to bar equestrian
access that have been defeated.
“The reduction of trails, trail heads and the closure of public
lands to horses and pack animals is a continuing problem for
equestrians. However, there is no centralized, comprehensive
database that documents any loss of access and even fewer specific
examples,” said AHC President Jay Hickey. “We hope by giving
equestrians a place to report their experiences we can get a
better picture of the problem and use that information to fix
it.”
The AHC is asking all recreational riders to visit the AHC website
and report any access issues they have had using this electronic
form https://www.horsecouncil.org/survey.php. This will be a
permanent feature of the AHC website.
“The AHC is committed to preserving equine access to public
lands. It is very important for these efforts that we have evidence
that demonstrates the extent of the problem and the need for
action on the part of Congress or the federal land agencies,”
said Hickey.
A Note about NAIS (National Animal Identification
System)
For those interested in the subject of NAIS, here is a link
to an interesting article: http://deltafarmpress.com/legislative/nais-coordinator-0520/
Within the article you will find a link that will let you submit
your own comments to the USDA. There is also a link to a cost-benefit
analysis.
Stronger Penalties for Livestock Theft
June, 2009
HB 1865 (SB 1163 on the Senate side) passed and has been signed
into law. It calls for stronger penalties for stealing livestock,
including horses. Previously, it was only a state jail felony.
After September 1, 2009, theft of livestock will be a third
degree felony, with stronger penalties.
Our thanks to Sen. Kel Seligor and Rep. Lois Kolkhorst for introducing
this bill into the Senate and the House, and to the Texas &
Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA) for working
for its passage.
Equine Dentistry Bill Died in Committee
House Bill #378 was bill that would have excluded equine teeth
floating from the Texas Veterinary Practice Act (TVPA). That
would have allowed your equine dental practitioner to legally
continue floating your horse’s teeth.
The Farm Bureau supported this bill. They saw it as a personal
property issue – you should have the right to choose who floats
your horse's teeth.
This was also about the right to work of 500+ Texas Equine Dental
Practitioners. Now they will only be able to work under the
supervision of a veterinarian. (Can anyone guess what that will
do to the cost of the services?)
Representative Tara Rios Ybarra, DDS opposed this bill. She
has two vets from her district strongly opposed to this bill.
There are NO core classes at Texas A & M, or any other Texas
university, that teach equine dentistry. There are electives,
but nothing that is required. A certified equine dental practitioner
has had training and specializes in your horse’s teeth. There
is a shortage of large animal veterinarians in many areas.
The equine dentistry bill died in committee. Someone’s interest
has been served, but it wasn’t that of the horse owners of Texas
Pundt Park Equestrian Trails Open!
March, 2009
We are thrilled to announce that Pundt Park now offers equestrian
trails along Spring Creek. This park, not far from Intercontinental
Airport offers some of the most beautiful trails in the whole
area—maybe THE most beautiful.
We want to thank Harris County Commissioner Jerry Eversole for
making this trail opportunity available to equestrians.
The trail head is located at 4129 Spring Creek Drive. For more
information, call 281-353-4196.
Commissioner and Mrs. Eversole join horsemen in a tour of Pundt
Park
on opening day.
Riders crossing Spring Creek
Riders enjoying a sandy beach along Spring Creek
Buyer Beware!
By Pauline Singleton
If the phrase “Buyer beware! wasn’t in use by the time the horse
was domesticated, it surely came into being shortly thereafter.
For as long as men have been buying and selling and trading
horses, it has been necessary for would-be buyers to exercise
caution.
One reason why was illustrated by a court case involving a Texas
horse trader, Terry Saulters.
The law (49 TEX. ADMIN. CODE § 49.3) defines a dealer as a person
who buys or sells animals in commerce on his own account, as
an employee or agent, or on a commission basis. Saulters clearly
meets that definition of a “dealer.” He purchases two or three
thousand horses a year, by his own account, including horses
from out of state.
The State of Texas imposes certain responsibilities on dealers.
Among other things, dealers must maintain records which shall
include the buyer’s and seller’s name and address, county of
origin, number of animals, and a description of each animal,
including sex, age, color and color markings, registration number,
if any, and any individual identification such as tattoo, brand,
or microchip number. Dealers must keep such records for at least
two years.
The potential utility of such records if obvious. Accurate records
would be very useful to law enforcement agencies searching for
stolen horses. They would also be very useful for certain disease
control programs.
A paint gelding which Saulters brought to GLG Horse Sale tested
positive for equine infectious anemia (EIA, swamp fever, or
sometimes called “Coggins”), an infectious, incurable viral
disease. Horses testing positive for EIA are subject to quarantine
regulations, and the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) has
the authority to investigate such cases and enforce quarantine
(TEX. AGRIC. CODE ANN. (Code) § 161.061).
When approached by a TAHC investigator, Saulters was unable
to produce a record for the horse in question. He indicated
that he had boxes and boxes of records (apparently not organized)
going back to 1998, but he felt that it would be pointless to
try and find that particular record. He would only say that
he bought the horse in the parking lot at the Navasota Livestock
Auction.
The disappointing thing about this is that TAHC staff members
had made earlier attempts to educate Saulters about the record
keeping requirements (other violations had come to their attention),
as early as 2004. Still he was either unable or unwilling to
comply.
As a consequence of an infected horse being traced to his operation,
his Mclennan County premises were quarantined. Surely every
reader understands that when a premise is quarantined, animals
may not come and go from said premise (except with a special
permit).
In spite of the quarantine, Saulters purchased a horse in
Oklahoma and brought it to his quarantined premise. Then the
Oklahoma horse was sold to a Louisiana woman. She expected
to receive EIA test docmentation, and when she did not, she
evidently reported this violation.
As a result of the above infractions, the TAHC finally imposed
an administrative penalty of $2,000. Saulters declined to
sign the agreed order or pay the penalty, so the case was
refered to the State Office of Administrative Hearings. The
case was heard by Georgie B. Cunningham, Administrative Law
Judge.
Still Saulters could not or would not produce a record for
that paint horse, although he told the judge that the purchase
records surely was in his records “somewhere.” He also told
the judge that it would be “crazy” to fine him $2,000 because
the situation had already cost him a lot of money. He alleged
that he lost about $10,000 because he had to kill 30 horses
rather than feed them through the quarantine period.
Judge Cunningham was not impressed by this argument and found
that Saulters had violated the law requiring record keeping
and had violated the quarantine. He was ordered to pay the
$2,000.
The sad thing about all this is that the TAHC was not able
to discover the source of the paint horse’s EIA infection.
Somewhere, there is an infected horse (or horses) which was
the source of this infection, and this horse (or horses) should
not circulate among healthy horses.
Clearly, there is a lesson here. Any buyer would be wise to
demand a negative EIA test AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE. Had Saulters
done so, he could have saved himself a lot of trouble and
a lot of money. And imagine a buyer coming home from an auction
with a new horse, and having it just long enough for the kids
to fall in love with it, only to discover that it is EIA positive
and cannot fulfill their dreams because it must the quanantined
or destroyed. These situations are best AVOIDED! A fresh Coggins,
drawn just before the horse changes hands, is always a good
idea. Having to undergo a quarantined period would be a great
financial blow to any dealer, trainer, breeder, or stable
operator. If your finantial or emotional investment in your
horses is large, don’t risk that investment by being careless
when you purchase a new horse.
Fortunately, EIA is growing less and less common. But it’s
still out there. Buyer beware.
Details for the above were taken from the State Office of
Administrative Hearings Docket No.554-06-3074; In the Matter
of the Texas Animal Health Commission’s Notice of Violation
Issued to Terry Saulters.
DONATING TO VICTIMS OF HURRICANE IKE
Money is needed to assist the many victims, both animals and
humans, of Hurricane Ike. Before donating to a group you don’t
know, investigate it. There are always a few out to take your
money, with no intention of spending it on charitable causes.
Those wishing to donate money to relief funds to help animal
victims (and their owners) may wish to consider one of the groups
discussed below:
The Texas Veterinary Medical Foundation has developed a tax-deductible
relief fund to support efforts to provide emergency animal shelters,
treatment of animals injured by the hurricane; and the rescue,
recovery and reuniting of lost animals with their owners.
Any excess funds will be used to provide additional support
to organizations, such as the Texas State Animal Resource Team,
which are currently providing assistance to animals due to this
disaster or will be providing assistance to animals in need
due to future disasters. A link to the Texas Veterinary Medical
Association’s foundation fund is on the TAHC’s web site at http://www.tahc.state.tx.us,
or it may be accessed directly on the Texas Veterinary Medical
Association’s web site at http://www.tvma.org/ .
The Texas Agrilife Extension Service continues to raise funds
and is purchasing basic items to support surviving, displaced
livestock, including hay, troughs and panels. To make a cash
or credit card donation for “Operation No Fences: Hurricane
Ike Horse and Cattle Relief” call 979-845-2604 or go to http://agrilifevents.tamu.edu
and follow the prompts.
Habitat for Horses’ facility for rescued horses (located in
Hitchcock, Texas) suffered extreme damage. Those wishing to
donate to this group may visit their web site at http://www.habitatforhorses.org/
.
The above is NOT meant to be a complete list of trustworthy
charities, of course. It is a good starting point, hopefully.
Horse Slaughter Article
(Aug. 08) President Carter Miller requests no links to the Journal
of the American Veterinary Medical Association on the subject
of horse slaughter.
Horse Slaughter in Mexico
October, 2007
Now that the horse slaughter industry in the United States has
been shut down, more horses are being sent to Mexico. Slaughter
numbers in Mexico are up 300 per cent. Those horses meet an
extremely brutal death. Their spines are severed with daggers
to render them quadriplegic. They are then hoisted up by a hind
leg and their throats are cut. Nothing renders them unconscious,
until they finally bleed out. We have delivered them into the
hands of barbarians (Editor's opinion).
WE ARE LOOKING FOR SPEAKERS!
We hope to have speakers at most GHHC meetings this year. Do
you have a presentation that would be of interest to horsemen
and horsewomen? Do you know someone else who does?
If you are interested in speaking to us at one of our meetings,
contact Marcella
Bonny
MEETING PLACE
Since January, 2006 we have been meeting at the Carriage House
Restaurant. Begining with the January 2007 meeting, the meeting
time is changed to 7:00 pm. Check the "GHHC Meetings" page (to
the left) for details (including a link to a MapQuest map).
NAIS
THANK YOU SGF
WINNING WAYS FARM
HORSE SLAUGHTER
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